BRAGGING rights were very much at stake as Aberaeron welcomed Llanybydder to Parc Drefach, in an eagerly anticipated first encounter in Swalec Division Three West A last weekend - and it was the visitors who took the spoils 18-23 .

The visitors, having been relegated from Division Two West in the last campaign, were eager to start the new season positively, whilst the hosts were buoyed by early season promise - and it was very much nip and tuck to the final whistle.

The gate was swelled by a considerable Llanybydder support, and they were rewarded in the first period when they were very much in command, with a plan which was controlled and constructive.

Aberaeron were on the back foot from the first whistle, with their normal expansive play efficiently being snuffed out by stern defence, and it was total reward when they crossed over the whitewash.

Tries from Rickie Davies and Llyr James, coupled with a conversion and penalty from Steff Richards, opened up a 15 point advantage within half an hour.

Llan were in full command at this stage and they threatened at every opportunity, but Aberaeron realised the challenge, and from being down and out, they fought back with a period of pressure.

It gave young scrum half Dafydd Llewelyn the opening to scamper through for a try, which was converted by Rhodri Jenkins - and with the outside half also converting a penalty the deficit was reduced to 8 points at the half-time break.

A Jenkins penalty goal further reduced the deficit on the restart, but Llanybydder then restored parity through Richards’ third success - only for Jenkins to reply with his third try of the afternoon, giving his side an unlikely sniff of victory.

With the result in the balance, the visitors took full advantage of a breakdown, with Aberaeron in the offensive, and despite some dubiously offside inter-play John Evans crossed for the crucial score.

Aberaeron pressed hard in the closing minutes and they were rewarded with a close range try from Huw Wozencroft, however the all-important score was frustratingly denied and arguably Llanybydder ran out as well-deserved winners based on their first half performance.

With another derby against Cardigan next up, Aberaeron will be looking to restore their early season promise on Saturday, whilst Llanybydder host Tregaron.

Tregaron 12 Neyland 60

WITH a number of players hanging up their boots over the summer, and others being unavailable, it was a very young Tregaron team that took the field against Neyland for their first league encounter.

In the first half, however, the Ceredigion side gave a good account of themselves, and were in the contest at half-time.

The first 10 minutes were fairly even, but the visitors were gaining the best possession, and their backs were allowed to play front foot rugby, while the home team always remained on the back foot.

Neyland had a number of big ball carriers and the Tregaron defence had to work hard throughout to keep them at bay.

In the first half, the Pembrokeshire All Blacks scored four tries to Tregaron’s one.

Second row Lionel Doors forced himself over for two tries, and the others were scored by Henry McBeth and George Evans, with Mark Riley converting two.

In reply, Tregaron’s young second rower Steve Roberts scored his side’s try by pouncing on a loose ball from a Neyland line-out to go over the line, and outside half Ieuan Wyn Rees converted well.

In the second half, Tregaron tired as the tackle count mounted. The visitors’ backs enjoyed themselves in the sunshine and ran the ball from everywhere, as tackles were missed and tries were scored.

Neyland scored six tries in the second half, with Doors and McBeth adding another two each, with Ben James and Patrick Betterdy scoring the others.

Riley added another conversion and Dylan McGaffin kicked two conversions.

Tregaron had a purple patch in the middle of the second period, where their forwards carried the ball for a number of phases, and a good try was scored when an overlap was created on the blind side of a ruck, and Nathan Lloyd squeezed over for a deserved try in the corner.

Tregaron’s youngsters will have learnt a lot from this game, as they prepare to travel to face Llanybydder on Saturday.

Laugharne 22 Cardigan 10

CARDIGAN were undone in their season’s opener by Laugharne, but coach Colin Davies will have been heartened by the commitment of his young side against a well organised home outfit, whose forwards ultimately took control in the final quarter, especially in the scrum.

It was Cardigan who were first out of the blocks and they crossed for a well worked try when new skipper and full back John Lumb sliced his way through the defence, for a try that he converted.

Laugharne stalwart Mike Williams, who seems to score regularly against the Cardis, crossed for a try midway through the half, but the visitors led at the break.

Laugharne began to take a much firmer foothold in the game in the final quarter, making life very difficult for young half backs Owain Rees and Iwan John, with the latter showing some real promise.

The hosts were finally awarded a penalty try for a succession of scrum infringements, and although Lumb hit back with a penalty, Williams and Carl Smith added tries to secure a bonus point win.

New Dock Starts 0 Lampeter 7

LAMPETER fielded a very young team, with many of last year’s youth players cutting their teeth in senior rugby, and they came through for a narrow win in their opening match at New Dock Stars.

The visitors’ favoured style of open play rugby was severely stunted in a scoreless first half, with very little possession, but the second half saw a much improved Lampeter performance, with the forwards and backs linking up well.

A fine run up the wing saw Iwan Evans go over after impressive support play, but the try was disallowed for an apparent foot in touch, and there was also a narrowly missed penalty by Dion Hughes.

Wave after wave of Lampeter attacks followed and they were finally rewarded when Rhodri Williams scored the only try of the game after a good angled run, and Dion Hughes added the conversion.